


Experiments in Cohabitation and Other Disasters

by hapakitsune



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Awkward Sexual Situations, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-26
Updated: 2013-04-26
Packaged: 2017-12-09 13:19:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/774658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hapakitsune/pseuds/hapakitsune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Roommates and houses come and go, but Jack is always there for Sidney.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Experiments in Cohabitation and Other Disasters

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a fic about Sidney being bad at living with people and then Jack Johnson happened. Thanks to mistfarer for being the very worst kind of enabler and looking this over for me.

The first person Sidney ever lives with who isn't family is Ryan at Shattuck St. Mary's. 

He's never shared a room before, and it's exciting for the first few nights, like a never-ending sleepover, the two of them talking sleepily about hockey into the wee hours of the morning. Ryan is sharp-edged, competitive, the kind of person Sidney loves talking to about hockey because they inevitably see the game differently from him. 

As time goes by, the novelty wears off, but he still likes having Ryan as his roommate. He thinks, maybe, that they might be friends, and he likes that idea, is proud of himself for making a friend that isn't Jack because Jack is different.

"You aren't what I expected," Ryan says sleepily one night, well after the clock has ticked past midnight. 

"Yeah?" Sidney asks, rolling over onto his side to peer at the dark smear of shadow where Ryan is laying. 

"I thought you were going to be so obnoxious." Ryan snorts. "And you are."

"Thanks." Sidney rolls his eyes even though Ryan can't see him. "But?"

"Not in the way I expected," Ryan says. Sidney waits for him to elaborate, but a few moments later, Ryan starts to snore. Sidney sighs and rolls over, dragging his pillow over his head to muffle the noise. 

"Do you know what he meant?" Sidney asks Jack the next day as he stretches. "You guys were expecting me?"

"Dude, we'd all heard so much about you," Jack says, shrugging. "Hockey Jesus, the Second Coming, you know."

Sidney feels himself going red. "Shut up."

Jack grins. "I think we were all expecting you to be a huge asshole, honestly."

"Oh." Sidney digests this. "And?"

"I don't know," Jack says. "What do you want me to say? You're a huge nerd, okay. You're a freakshow about some stuff, but you're an amazing hockey player and you're, well. Nice."

"You're not," Sidney says, because he can't think of a better comeback, not when Jack sounds so impossibly fond. 

"Hey, I'm perfectly nice to you." Jack ruffles Sidney's hair, ignoring his answering squawk. "Look, Ryan didn't mean anything by it, okay? You're not what we expected, but that's a good thing." 

Sidney pulls his arm over his chest. "Okay," he says eventually. "That's – okay."

"Stop overthinking it," Jack says, rolling his eyes. 

"I've just never done this before!" Sidney says, gesturing wildly. "I want to be sure that he isn't going to, I don't know, kill me in the night."

"He won't," Jack says. He punches Sidney in the shoulder. "You're a good kid."

"I'm like _six months_ younger than you," Sidney grouses. 

Jack laughs at him and gets up to head to the rink. Sidney scrambles up and follows him. 

When he isn't at the dorm with Ryan, he's at Jack's. Jack's parents are incredibly kind and welcoming, letting Sidney come over for dinner and pretend like he's one of the family. He plays floor hockey with Jack and Kenny and watches movies with them and the Johnsons' home starts to feel more safe than his dorm room. It's even better when he gets to sleep over, curled up on Jack's floor while they talk aimlessly. They split the bed sometimes, when they're exhausted from hockey or baseball and Jack just rolls his eyes and says, "We can share, right?"

Sidney sleeps the best on those nights.

 

Living in Rimouski is a completely different experience from Shattuck St. Mary's.

He feels weird sharing another family's space like this; he has the room of their own son, who's playing in the OHL, and it's odd to find traces of the other boy hidden around the desk, the bed. He finds porn hidden under the mattress when he's cleaning, and he shoves it back under, trying not to think about it. 

"You didn't jerk off to it?" Jack asks when Sidney calls him. "Really?"

"Gross," Sidney says. "It probably has his jizz all over it."

"Yeah, but it's _free porn_ ," Jack says. "I don't get you sometimes."

Sidney frowns and doesn't say that he hadn't been that interested in the overly-tanned bodies of the women in the magazines, their pert breasts exposed and legs spread wide. He had just felt uncomfortable looking at it and he doesn't know why, exactly. 

He doesn't mention the magazines to his billet family, which he thinks is the polite thing to do, and continues to call Jack most nights when he isn't playing, talking to him about everything and nothing in particular. His billet mom walks in on him once and apologizes before closing the door. Later, she gives him a very weird talk about it's fine if he brings girls over, as long as he keeps the door open and is careful. 

"I don't date," Sidney says, confused. 

"Who are you always talking to on the phone, then?" she asks. 

"Jack," Sidney says.

"Oh," she says, frowning. "Okay." She smiles then and pats his arm. "Well, just know that you can have a little fun, too. It doesn't have to be all school and hockey."

Sidney nods, even though he doesn't really know another way to live. She looks reassured, so Sidney makes an effort to go out with the team sometimes, just to dinners or bowling or whatever, coming home well within his curfew in time to eat family dinner. He knows his billet family thinks he's kind of weird, but hockey comes first – it _always_ comes first – so he stops caring after the first few months. 

When it's time for him to move out, they both give him big hugs and tell him to call. He promises he will, and scrupulously adds them to his mother's Christmas card list when he gets back to Cole Harbour.

At home, it's weird to be back in his own room. He's used to keeping out of the way, letting the adults do their own thing, and he's used to doing his own laundry and helping out with the cooking. His mom wants to pamper him and keeps shooing him to the living room to spend time with his sister, who's so much bigger than he remembers. 

He takes her out to the rink with him, and she sits in goal when he shoots, more gently than he would normally. She chirps him cheerfully when he misses, yelling, "Is that how they play in Quebec?" when one hits the post. 

After they leave, though, they don't really know what to say to each other. Sidney had always talked to her when he called home, but it's one thing to talk about school and hockey and movies a few times a week and another to be sharing space with her. She's gotten used to being the only child, and he knows it must be an adjustment to have him back, attracting all the attention to him. 

He makes an effort though, driving her to her friends' houses and attending her peewee hockey scrimmages. He even asks Jack for advice when he comes to train with Sidney for a week before the draft.

"I don't know, Sid," Jack says. "You've hung out with Kenny, too, you know. I just play catch with him and take him skating and, you know, hang out with him."

"I can do that," Sidney says, then adds, "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Jack says, the eyeroll clear in his dry, amused tone. 

Sidney takes Jack's advice and watches movies with Taylor, spends more time skating with her, lets her choose what they do. They even go fishing together, which Taylor finds alternately disgusting and fascinating. 

"Wow," she says when they pull up their first catch, leaning in to look at it curiously. The fish wriggles wildly and nearly hits her in the face. She jerks back, giggling nervously, and waves for Sidney to throw it back. 

By the time Sidney is getting ready to leave for Pittsburgh, he's grown incredibly fond of Taylor, and she's taken to copying the things he does, down to his diet and practice rituals. She cries when he gets on the plane, and he drops to his knees to hug her, eyes prickling despite himself. 

"You can come visit any time," he assures her, squeezing her as she flings her arms around his neck. 

"You're always gone," Taylor whispers, and his heart squeezes painfully. 

"I know." He kisses the side of her head. "I'm sorry."

He looks back before he heads through the security gate and sees that she's in his dad's arms, face buried in his shoulder. Sidney raises his hand in goodbye, then straightens his shoulders and walks through the gate. 

 

Most days, it takes Sidney a moment to remember he's living in _Mario Lemieux's pool house_. When he does, he lies in bed staring at the ceiling in panic, wondering if he cleaned up the floor, if he accidentally sleepwalked or something. The Lemieuxs are extremely nice and he gets along with Mario's kids, but he still feels intensely awkward with them, and more often than not he flees to his bedroom to call Jack. 

Sidney had been kind of hoping that fate would conspire to have them drafted to nearby teams, maybe even the same division. They're in the same conference, though, and Sidney loves it in Pittsburgh, would absolutely not trade it for anything. 

"You get to play with _Mario Lemieux_ , of course you love it," says Jack, laughing. Sidney slumps onto his bed, rubbing his hand over his shorts. 

"I just wish you were here," he says quietly, and Jack sighs in response. 

"You never know," he reminds Sidney, and Sidney turns his face into his pillow, rubbing his hand further up his thigh. "I can visit."

"Yeah," Sidney says. "Do that."

Jack snorts. "Okay, bossy." 

Sidney mentions it to Mario when Jack comes during his spring break, promising that Jack won't cause trouble. Mario smiles at him, squeezes his shoulder, and says, "Jack is more than welcome to stay here. I know he's important to you."

"Thank you," Sidney says, blushing a little for some reason. 

Jack arrives in a flurry of bags and big smiles, introducing himself to the entire Lemieux family and immediately charming Mario's oldest daughter. Sidney feels weirdly like he's introducing Jack to his parents even though his family has definitely already met him (and loves him, naturally). Once the pleasantries are over, Sidney leads Jack out to the pool house. 

"Damn," Jack says, eyebrows going up. "This is a nice pad, Sid. You should be bringing all the girls back here."

"Yeah, sure," Sidney says, rolling his eyes. "What girls?"

"Still, Sid?" Jack sighs and smacks his shoulder. "You could get anyone you want."

Sidney shrugs uncomfortably. He knows Jack is probably right, but even if he did meet a girl he'd want to take home with him, he would feel weird bringing her back to Mario's. Jack seems to sense that Sidney doesn't want to talk about it, because he changes the subject.

"Let's hit the pool, come on," Jack says, grabbing Sidney's wrist. 

"Are you kidding, it's like fifty degrees out," Sidney says, resisting. 

"You're from _Nova Scotia_ , this is shorts weather." Jack raises his eyebrows. "Don't make me shove you in."

"Okay, _fine_ ," says Sidney. "Will you let me change first?"

When he gets downstairs in his swim trunks and a sweatshirt, Jack is waiting, already shirtless. Sidney swallows compulsively, then again. "Show off."

Jack grins at him and flexes. "Come on, Sid."

Sidney follows him out and laughs when Jack jumps in the pool with a whoop, splashing Sidney's legs. Jack bobs to the surface and grins up at Sidney. Sidney sighs and pulls off his sweatshirt, tossing it back towards one of the pool chairs. Jack lunges up to grab Sidney's ankle and tugs him into the water. 

Sidney comes up sputtering indignantly as Jack laughs openly at him, and he swats ineffectually at Jack, trying to get his head under too. Jack fights against him, grabbing Sidney's wrists and pulling him close. 

"Nice try," he says, grinning triumphantly. His right thumb presses against the heel of Sidney's left hand, rubbing slowly. Sidney licks his lips, making a face at the chlorine, and doesn't move. Jack blinks, water droplets sliding from his eyelashes, and his smile flags a little. "Sid?"

Sidney's chest tightens, and he licks his lip again. "Yeah?"

Jack shifts his hold on Sidney's wrists, slowly moving his hands until his fingers are laced with Sidney's, his gaze never leaving Sidney's face. Sidney's face is on fire and he feels like he'll burst, the steady weight of Jack's presence anchoring him as it always does. 

"Sid," Jack says again. "You gotta tell me if this is okay."

"What?" Sidney asks, and Jack leans in, careful and slow, to lightly press his lips to Sidney's. Sidney sucks in a gasp of surprise and returns the kiss instinctively, tightening his hands on Jack's. Jack pulls back, watching Sidney, and Sidney swallows again. 

"Yeah?" Jack asks cautiously. 

Sidney nods once, then again, more fervently. "Yes," he says, "yes, Jack, please –" 

Jack doesn't let him finish, pushes him up against the edge of the pool and kisses him hard, releasing his hold on Sidney's hands to tuck one hand just under the waistband of Sidney's trunks, carding the other through the damp curls at Sidney's temple. Sidney clutches at Jack, hands slipping through the water against his smooth sides, and gives into the feelings he had tucked away inside him and labeled as _impossible_.

The air is cool against their damp skin and soon Sidney is shivering, trembling every time Jack shifts against him. He feels drugged, his eyes heavy and his heart pounding rapidly as Jack presses his thigh between Sidney's, and it's only when they pull apart to breathe wetly that Sidney thinks to suggest that they go back inside. 

"We barely got to swim," Jack says, grinning at him, and Sidney pushes his hips up against Jack's, watching as Jack's mouth falls open in a silent _o_.

"We're in Mario's pool," Sidney points out. "And you're going to be here for a while, aren't you?"

"Good point," Jack breathes, smiling down at Sidney. He presses his forehead to Sidney's for a moment, then releases him and hikes himself out of the pool. His erection is obvious through the damp, clinging trunks, and Sidney goes hot all over at the sight. 

"Hey," Jack says, teasing, "my eyes are up here," and Sidney's gaze snaps upward, his cheeks heating in embarrassment. 

"Sorry," he mumbles, grabbing the edge of the pool to climb out. Jack helps him, pulling Sidney upright.

"Hey," Jack says, squeezing Sidney's arm. "I'm into it."

Sidney snorts, but makes no move to pull away. "I didn't invite you here for this."

"You mean I'm not your cross-country booty call?" Jack laughs and drops his hand. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"I just mean –" Sidney begins, frustrated. 

"I know what you mean." Jack starts herding Sidney back towards the pool house. "Let's get out of our trunks, it's freezing."

"Is that what you say to all the girls?" Sidney snips, ducking out from underneath Jack's guiding hand to snag his sweatshirt. 

"It's working, isn't it?" Jack tucks his fingers into Sidney's trunks again and starts pulling him. "Come _on_ , Sid."

They drip water all over the entryway and stairs, shivering as they run up to the bathroom to towel off. Jack drops his towel over Sidney's head and rubs it over Sidney's hair, grinning when Sidney wrinkles his nose at him. Then Jack uses the towel to pull Sidney in for a kiss and he forgets all about his rumpled hair. 

They stumble down the hall to Sidney's bedroom, and Jack flings his sodden trunks vaguely towards the door before pulling Sidney's off. Sidney shudders and then Jack pushes Sidney back onto his bed, pushing up his knees so he can duck between them. 

" _Jack_ ," Sidney says, squirming in surprise. Jack squeezes his thighs reassuringly and goes down on Sidney like he's practiced at this, without any sign of hesitation. Sidney gasps and has to push up onto his elbows to look down at Jack, to look at the way Jack's mouth stretches around him. 

"Jack," Sidney repeats, voice choked, and he pulls Jack off so they can kiss, teeth messily bumping together and Jack biting at Sidney's lower lip. "I want to see you," he gasps against Jack's mouth, and Jack grins shyly, ducking his head into Sidney's neck.

Sidney comes when Jack gets a hand around his spit-slick cock and lies panting while Jack thrusts between his damp thighs, breathing heavily. Sidney curls his hand around the back of Jack's neck and says, "Come on, Jack, come on –"

Jack groans and seizes up, coming in short, hot bursts over Sidney's thighs. Sidney pulls him down for a kiss, languid and sex-stupid, still shaking from the force of his orgasm. 

Sidney dozes off somewhere between Jack kissing his neck and his shoulder and wakes up to an empty bed and the sound of the shower echoing down the hall. He lies there for a few minutes, luxuriating in the weirdly naughty feeling of napping without having a reason to, then gets up and goes to find Jack. 

They eat dinner with the Lemieuxs, sitting across from each other while Mario asks Jack about his classes. Jack keeps bumping his foot against Sidney's, shooting him sly grins when Mario isn't looking. Sidney can tell that Nathalie notices, though, if the indulgent smiles she keeps giving him are any indication. 

Jack and Sidney do the dishes, basically muscling Nathalie out of the kitchen together, and it's like they're back at the Johnsons' house, laughing and splashing each other as they work their way through the plates and silverware. The only thing that's different is the flirtatious way Jack bumps his hip against Sidney's, and the way his hands linger a little long on Sidney's as they pass the plates. 

Jack stays for a week, sleeping in Sidney's bed and eating meals with him, following him to practice and heckling from the sidelines. Colby gives Sidney shit about bringing his boyfriend along, and Sidney can't even bring himself to get pissy about it, because it's _so nice_ to have Jack back. 

When it comes time for Jack to leave, they spend fifteen minutes trying to get Jack out to Sidney's car and instead kissing desperately in the doorway to the pool house, Sidney pinned against the frame. Jack looks wrecked when he finally pulls away, hair mussed and his eyes bright. 

"Next time you're in Michigan –"

"Yeah," Sidney says, slowly unclenching his hands from Jack's shirt. "I wish you didn't have to go."

Jack cups Sidney's cheek and smiles fondly, though his eyes are sad. "Me too."

 

It takes a few years for Sidney to finally move out of the Lemieuxs' pool house, and when he does, he spends a lot of time bouncing around his empty house feeling aimless. Jack bullies him into buying more furniture when he visits (and subsequently helps him christen the bed – and the couch and the armchair), and soon most of his rooms have something in them. 

Sidney has never really lived _alone_ before; he's surprised to find that he actually quite likes it, likes having the space to breathe and stick to his own routines. He does kind of miss having people to talk to and having to learn to cook more things for himself isn't the most fun thing in the world, but he'll Skype with Jack or Colby or Taylor when he gets lonely. 

Geno starts redoing his own house after the lockout and shows up at practice one day looking grumpy and greasy. "Contractor break my water heater," he says, stomping over to his stall. "No hot water, no shower. So mad."

Sidney looks up from lacing his skates. "How badly is it broken?"

"Don't know," Geno says. "Guess can live without, but –"

"I have a spare room," Sidney says, straightening up. "If you want."

Geno raises his eyebrows at Sidney. "Sidney Crosby invite me to stay?"

"Oh, shut up," Sidney says. "Do you want it or not?"

"You have hot water, I want," Geno says fervently. 

So Geno comes home with Sidney and sets up camp in the guest bedroom closest to the bathroom. Sidney lets him do as he pleases, going down to his gym to jog. He's coming back upstairs to change out of his clothes when he runs straight into a wall of Geno, wet and naked and dripping. 

They spring apart, horrified, and Sidney yells, "Why are you naked?" just as Geno yells, "Where are towels?"

"Oh my god," Sidney says, covering his eyes. "Go back to the bathroom, I'll find you one."

"Not like you never see me naked before," Geno says, swatting at Sidney before padding away. 

"That's _different_!" Sidney yells after him. 

He tells Jack about it later that night when they're Skyping, and Jack laughs so hard he starts wheezing, his face red. "Oh my god," he chokes out. "I wish I could have seen the look on your face."

"Fuck you," Sidney says, feeling himself flush. He shifts his laptop so it's sitting on the bed next to him and chews his lower lip. "So, um, you wanna?"

Jack grins and moves his laptop so Sidney can see that he's already naked. "I thought you'd never ask."

Sidney still finds this kind of awkward, but he has to admit it's hot to watch Jack get himself off, learning through that what Jack likes. He likes watching Jack watch him, too, likes the way Jack's eyes go heavy and sensual when Sidney shows off. He shoves down his sweatpants, freeing his already half-hard dick, and palms himself. 

He's just getting into it, lost in watching the movement of jack's hand, his own hand moving faster on his dick, stomach clenching as he imagines how it would feel if Jack were here, breath warm against Sidney's mouth. He recalls the memory of the last time they'd seen each other, hands fumbling in each other's jeans and barely getting them down before they came, slumped against the wall of Sidney's LA hotel, and –

"Sid," Geno says, barging into Sidney's room, "I need to find –" He takes in the scene, eyes going wide, and says, "Shit."

"Oh my _god_ ," Sidney yelps, horrified, and he rolls over so his back is to the door. Geno slams the door shut, and Jack starts laughing again, breathless and rough. 

"Sid," he says, coaxing. "Sid –"

"Oh my _god_ ," Sidney breathes, "this is _awful_."

"Should have hung a sock on the door," Jack teases. "Sidney, come on."

Sidney sighs and turns to look at Jack. Jack is still jerking himself off, though he's slowed down, and he's grinning widely. "The mood isn't dead?"

"You're still hard," Jack points out and yeah, he is. "I wish you could see how you looked right now, Sid, _god_."

"I can," Sidney points out. "There's a little thumbnail at the bottom of the screen."

"Not the same." Jack starts moving his hand faster, staring at Sidney intently. "God, you look fucking incredible like this, can you blame Geno for freaking out?"

"Shut up," Sidney groans, dick twitching. 

"I wish everyone could see what you look like when I fuck you," Jack says, grinning. "So fucking gorgeous and desperate and all mine –"

" _Jack_ ," Sidney gasps, and he gives in, wrapping his hand around his dick. "You're insane, you know that?"

"You love it," Jack says, light and easy, and Sidney just nods, helpless, and chokes out, "I do," and comes, spilling over his hand and sheets. Jack says his name, amazed, and comes too, body tensing up in that familiar way. 

After, they just watch each other's faces before Sidney kisses the fingers of his clean hand and presses them to the camera. "I miss you," he says, quiet, and Jack nods. 

"Realignment," he reminds him, and Sidney smiles.

In the morning, Sidney and Geno avoid each other's eyes until Geno clears his throat and says, "You and Jack?"

"Yeah," Sidney says, trying and failing to sound non-confrontational. "We are."

"Okay," Geno says. Then he grins. "Skype sex, little kinky for Sid, no?"

"I hate you," Sidney says fervently. "This _never happened_ , okay? And there's nothing kinky about Skype sex."

"Okay," Geno says easily. "Next time, lock door, okay?"

Geno ends up staying with Sidney for a week. He makes a point of exaggeratedly knocking every time he enters a room and announces himself loudly, to the point where Sidney finally throws a pillow at him, exasperated, and yells, "I'll put a sock on the door, just walk in otherwise."

"Don't want to – how you say? – cock-block," Geno says, pronouncing it carefully, and Sidney jumps off the couch to tackle him to the floor. 

It's quiet after Geno leaves, disconcertingly so. Sidney has gotten used to finding Geno lounging on the couch or working out on the elliptical, has even gotten used to Geno drinking all his milk and using a spoon to scoop out the peanut butter instead of a knife. He blames that for why he tells Beau he can stay with him the next year. 

"I can't believe you did that," Jack says, splayed out over Sidney's bed in Halifax. Sidney traces his fingers over Jack's ribs, smiling. "You've never really lived with a roommate before."

"Ryan," Sidney points out. 

"You were always at my house." Jack pulls Sidney down to him, kissing him firmly, poking at Sidney's fluffy curls. 

"If you could live with me, that would be great," Sidney says when they break apart. 

"It would be kind of a crappy commute for one of us," Jack points out. 

"I could talk to Shero," Sidney suggests, mostly joking. 

"Nah." Jack rubs his arm over Sidney's shoulder. "I kind of like it this way. We'll be the Romeo and Juliet of our division."

"Great." Sidney rolls his eyes, then yelps when Jack pinches him. "What was that for?"

"You're doubting us," Jack says. He runs his hand down Sidney's hip, grabs at his ass, and pulls Sidney up against him. 

"I'm not," Sidney protests, then groans and shifts as Jack presses his fingers into Sidney's ass, still slick from earlier. "Not fair."

"Shh," Jack says into his neck, and Sidney hushes, giving in to the press of Jack's body against his and losing himself in the taste of Jack's breath. 

 

Beau, it turns out, is actually a pretty good roommate. He's low maintenance and keeps to himself, and he's also responsive when Sidney makes gentle suggestions about things like his diet and his exercise regimen. 

"You're turning him into _you_ ," Neal groans when Beau orders the healthiest, most protein-rich item on the menu at team dinner. 

Geno grins and leans over Despres to ruffle Beau's hair. "Sunshine want to be like his captain. So sweet." 

Beau makes a face, but bears the chirping with good humor. Sidney grins at him from across the table and says, "You'll regret it when he beats you all in points."

"Those are fighting words!" yells Duper from the end of the table. 

The other great thing about Beau is that he's totally oblivious. Sidney has taken to staying with Jack when they visit Columbus, and Jack stays with him. Beau accepts Sidney's hideously transparent excuse of how they never see each other and cheerfully greets Jack in the morning and never asks where Jack sleeps. 

Geno laughs the first time he hears about it, causing Sidney to kick him _hard_ under the table. Beau just looks confused, asking, "What's so funny?"

"Geno's a douche," Sidney says, glaring at him. Geno just grins at him. 

Columbus comes to town a week later, and even though Pittsburgh loses by one, Sidney can't bring himself to be too pissed about it, not when Columbus played their hearts out. Jack is practically glowing when he arrives at Sidney's place, pressing Sidney against his front door and kissing him with the kind of intensity Sidney associates with victory. After he's reduced Sidney to limp desperation, he herds Sidney upstairs to fuck him senseless. 

"Wow," Sidney sighs, a little dreamily, when Jack flops onto his back beside him. 

"Yeah," Jack agrees. He pulls Sidney into him. "God, I love you."

"You, too," Sidney says, turning his head to smile at Jack, and Jack hooks his fingers into Sidney's necklace as he leans in for a kiss, the chain rubbing against what is undoubtedly going to be a mouth-shaped bruise come morning. 

In the morning, Jack cooks breakfast while Sidney makes coffee, throwing sneaky smiles at Sidney every time they brush shoulders or arms. Jack is in the process of dividing the scrambled eggs between three plates when Beau skulks into the kitchen, wearing his sweatpants and a ratty hoodie. 

"Hey," Sidney says. "Morning. Want coffee?"

"Um," Beau says. "I'm gonna, um, have orange juice." 

He skitters around Sidney to the refrigerator and pours himself a glass of orange juice before picking up a plate and making a run for the door. Sidney stops him by holding up his hand. 

"What's up with you?" he asks, frowning. 

Beau meets Sidney's eyes, then looks away quickly, cheeks going pink. "I, um." He clears his throat. "You guys are, uh, really loud, did you know that?"

The spatula in Jack's hand clatters to the stove. Sidney feels himself go horribly red and he drops his hand. "Oh."

"Yeah." Beau shifts uncomfortably. "Not that I mind – I mean, um. Not that I object? I just – I'm gonna wear headphones when you come over now." 

"Oh god," Sidney groans, dropping his head into his hands. 

"Yeah," Beau says. "You said that a lot last night."

Jack makes a choked noise, and Beau darts from the kitchen, calling, "Sorry!" over his shoulder.

"Is this better or worse than Geno, do you think?" Jack asks after a moment. 

"Worse," Sidney says immediately, then reconsiders. "No, better."

"At least we can stop pretending," Jack points out, tugging Sidney over to him. 

Sidney turns his face into Jack's shoulder and smiles. "That's true."

Jack kisses the top of Sidney's head and forks some sausage onto Sidney's plate. "Eat your breakfast. Then we'll tell Beau to put his headphones on."

Sidney grins at him and accepts the plate. "Sounds good."


End file.
